60-ft Puja Pandal Near Bhubaneswar Airport Raises Flight Safety Concerns
Why It MattersThe case highlights how unregulated structures, lighting and drones near airport approach paths can pose a recurring seasonal hazard to landing operations at Indian airports.
A nearly 60-feet high Puja pandal erected close to Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, has raised flight safety concerns ahead of the festival season. Trained pilot Anil Dhir said the structure has been built approximately 200 metres from the west dumbbell of the airport's main runway, within the glide path, standing around 150 metres from the airport boundary and less than 100 metres from the point where aircraft make their final descent, placing descending planes at roughly the same altitude as the top of the structure.
Dhir has written to the BPIA Director, warning that the pandal sits in the most vulnerable part of the airport's funnel zone. He flagged the planned use of laser and strobe lights as a critical hazard, stating that high-intensity beams striking a descending aircraft's windshield during landing could cause temporary blindness or blurred vision in pilots. He also raised concerns about potential unauthorised drone operations near the airport, citing risks of mid-air collision or drone ingestion into jet engines.
Dhir has urged BPIA authorities to direct the pandal organisers to reduce the structure's height and to prohibit the use of laser lights and drones during the festival.
